This is the last post this year so I'll look back at how it's gone.
Overall I've ended up just about where I started the year financially so I've neither gone forwards or backwards.I've managed a living out of what I'm doing and whilst it's not an opulent one it's not a shabby one either and many people would envy me being able to work from home punting and surviving on it.Anyone who thinks it's a glamorous lifestyle now needs to think again though.My day's start very early in Summer (5.30am) and ends very late in Winter (3.30am) and overall I reckon I put in around 70 hours plus each week.Despite that I wouldn't change it and I think I'm lucky that I've been able to work at something that is both challenging and rewarding at the same time.
It's not a "respectable" living in the conventional sense but then I'm a working class boy from West Yorkshire who left school at 15 and took his chances when and where they came along often irrespective of how and who it upset along the way.I never was respectable and never ever wanted or really could be but I think eventually I've earned some respect for "running my own race" over the years.
The most challenging thing of all is working from home alone.I miss the racecourse and all the characters you found there and the knockabout and sometimes dark humour that could lift your spirits even after a shocking day.Now it's impossible to operate there as you are at such a big disadvantage compared to having everything at your fingertips in your home office.When you had to go racing to have an edge there really was some glamour attatched to doing this work and I never turned up once looking anything but immaculate.Suited and Booted in the finest.Now I'm in shorts and short sleeves most of the time.I do live in the tropics these days so suits aren't really an option anymore.
I wonder if it'll ever change back to being an advantage to be on track again?God, I hope so.I'd be back in a flash!It'll never be quite the same again of course,things never are but it would be good to see the racing authorities realize that betting is the life blood of racing and without it happening big time on course,vibrant and full on, the sport or is it an industry?(don't get me started!) will simply fade away.Why are these corporate minded administrative clowns so blind to the long term damage they are doing and have already done to a once great staple of the Australian sporting and social landscape.They have been ably supported by generally piss poor state Racing Ministers who see only the looming ballot and where they'll land afterwards if they get the boot.Self interest is endemic to the human condition but surely there is someone out there with vision, passion and who has enough "respectability" and vigour to wrest the reins away from these hapless jobsworths and at least begin to steer the game back in the right direction.
The early part of the year I had some serious health issues which left me with almost nothing to show from January to May but I've recovered since then and in the circumstances I have to be satisfied with the year overall.I'm in my mid fifties now and am probably not quite as razor sharp as I used to be and am vulnerable to health issues complicating things from time to time.The big asset I do have after being involved in this caper virtually all my working life is experience.
You cannot buy experience and it's lots of hard work,pain, and disappointment (also some very big high points!) acquiring it but, it's a priceless thing to have at your disposal especially when the going gets tough as it inevitably does in this game sometimes.
The bets advised in the blog and through the tweets show a profit of 8.75% POT since I got things going again in June and it would have been great if October could be forgotten but it can't and it was truly awful and made a complete mess of some very healthy looking figures beforehand.
I'm going to make some changes to the way I do the blog in the New Year as it hasn't really been accurately reflecting what I'm doing the majority of the time which is laying as opposed to backing and that's a trend that seems likely to keep growing.
I'll play around with some new ideas in the blog in the first couple of weeks in the New Year and then I'm taking a weeks holiday mid January.When I get back I'll refine things a bit more and hopefully by February I'll have it out at least 5 days a week with a fair bit more in depth info in there than has been the case lately.
The main purpose of the blog is to inform,advise and hopefully help followers get an extra dollar or two from time to time.
As this year ends I would like to thank those who have emailed with various stuff over the year particularly the kind ones I received when I was unwell earlier in the year.I know the following has dropped of as I don't cover the UK stuff after October but it has been great to hear from people worldwide throughout the year.
I mentioned in Part Two of Laying for Profit the value of not being afraid to buy your info if you can source it from a really reputable agencies and your too time poor to do the hard work yourself.I mentioned two in Australia,Champion Picks and Redbelly Sports but wanted to add one more for the International followers who are not subject to the ludricous "in-play" restrictions that limit activity on sports events if you operate out of Australia.
Betfair Guru operates out of the North West of England.Kevin (the Guru) specialises in Tennis,Soccer and he does well on the UK Flat Racing too.He's essentially a Trader but his strategies are ultra sound and he operates online in real time.Works really hard and consequently gets the results..Very generous with his time and full of help and advice.Well worth looking into if your based in Europe.
All these three agencies I respect because I know that the work ethic is the cornerstone of their operations and importantly they are an open hand at putting out priceless free information to help anyone looking to do better on the punt.David & Darryn at Champion Picks send out a free newsletter 5 days a week packed with really interesting stuff if your a punter.Ed at Redbelly has a weekly newsletter with tips for form evaluation,strategy etc and does a twice weekly slot on Perth's racing radio.These guys are open handed about telling you what they have learnt in moving from ordinary punters into long term successful operators.Priceless knowledge and freely imparted and a total credit to the racing game.
Others I really want to highlight for being genuine sources of interesting and valuable info that have made my racing year better and helped know and understand more are:
Scott Furguson who is the author of http://www.sportismadeforbetting.com/ a terrific place to go if you really want to know what's happening in the betting world.When the shit hits the fan be it collapsing Punters Clubs,match fixing,shonky bookies,scammers and shonks abroad Scott will have the latest and most accurate take on what's really going on.
Peter Webb of Bet Angel Pro. Doyen of Betfair traders and also the author of an excellent blog which is informative and instructive http://www.betangel.com/blog_wp/
Racing UK not faultless but the best racing network around by a mile.Very knowledgeable presenters all round but a particular mention to the luscious Lydia Hislop the best female racing presenter anywhere,the weather worn Steve Mellish years of experience and always worth listening too,the erudite and provoking James Willoughby,almost too clever by half sometimes but a great communicator of how to analysize a race,Graham Cunningham ex Timeform and always thorough,Mark Howard, down to earth,to the point and a great judge around the northern racecourses,Tom O'Ryan,the "Yorkshire Leprechaun" ex jockey and a wonderfully affable and entertaining presenter and Claude Charlet who's opinions on French racing you dismiss at your peril.It's a very strong team with no real weak links but everyone has their favourites and they have kept me entertained and updated through the long,late winter nights when I'm betting on the UK racing.
To everyone all the very best for the New Year,thanks for following even if you only drop in occasionally.
The final part of Laying For Profit On Betfair will be online over the next few days.Back tomorrow with a look at the New Years Day's racing at Flemington and Rosehill.
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